Bioware General (Mass Effect/Dragon Age/Other)

[magnuskn]

Too much. The sadness of hammering the space bar and realizing that you cannot skip the useless sequence was quite big.

I'll admit, a decent part of my enjoyment of the Paragon/Renegade system was seeing Renegade players get seriously salty when their douchy Shepards got overall worse results by being assholes to the entire galaxy. But also, of course, that playing Paragon Shepard (which I've always defaulted to) meant playing one of the ultimate truly righteous space heroes of all time.

[TheodoricFriede]

I just realized Vetras face marking is an "A".

For Andromeda Initiative.

[Dragaros]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lb-URAKX7c

[Dragaros]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYRlKXd6iQ8

[Dragaros]

"BioWare reveals it axed plans to make Mass Effect Andromeda play like No Man’s Sky"

[Dragaros]

"All Mass Effect: Discovery variants inked"

"Mass Effect: Andromeda goes pulp in its latest tie-in comic"

[Azint]

A lot of people forget that Shepard does not really become a character until Mass Effect 2 and then 3. In ME1, Shepard was a wooden plank.

I want to believe that in the inevitable sequel, Ryder grows more as well.

[Someone With Mass]

I would say that lack of clear paragon/renegade options are the cause here. This sure makes Ryder lot more bland and less than ideal writing at times certainly won't help. Game really do need paragon/renegade to spice things up and actually make character feel more unique.

This is actually something, they have simply taken steps in totally wrong direction. To me, ME2 was the top of this part. Going full paragon or renegade felt really different and paragade also worked well. But ME3 then got worse and now ME:A even more so.

I think that the biggest flaw with the Paragon/Renegade system was the inconsistent tone and the inability to choose how far along one spectrum the player would like to go.

Well, that and you pretty much had to commit to one alignment in order to get out of hairy situations, like Tali's trial.

In Andromeda, I've noticed that the emotional/logical dialogue options dominate conversations to the point where I almost forget what the other symbols mean.

[UNiT]

I just hope the next game doesn't go the Dragon age route and make you play a new protagonist with a new crew. I'dd rather keep developing Ryder and the crew with maybe some additional squadmates.

I wouldn't be surprised if they did. To me, it looks like they didn't bother to develop Ryder's enough, because they had already planned or even decided for ME:A to be stand alone game or very least one of protagonist. As if this would be the case, there was no point to really try to add depth to the Ryder's.

I didn't find Ryder lacking in personality myself. He/she was just different and new compared to Shepard for example. There where some decent lines with Ryder and you could feel by the end of the game that he had grown a bit.

[Alienmorph]

A lot of people forget that Shepard does not really become a character until Mass Effect 2 and then 3. In ME1, Shepard was a wooden plank.

I want to believe that in the inevitable sequel, Ryder grows more as well.

That is true, but you'd think BW by this point knows to make character better than ME1 Shepard without an whole game of buildup.

[TheodoricFriede]

That is true, but you'd think BW by this point knows to make character better than ME1 Shepard without an whole game of buildup.

I would argue that Ryder is proof that they do.

[FrozenShadow]

"BioWare reveals it axed plans to make Mass Effect Andromeda play like No Man’s Sky"

Well, that's relief. Any plan to even remotely connected to No Man's Sky Lie should be crapped, burned and even ashes had to be treated like toxic waste.

That game really was disaster.

A lot of people forget that Shepard does not really become a character until Mass Effect 2 and then 3. In ME1, Shepard was a wooden plank.

While true, it didn't matter as much back then. First ME was more about selling the ME universe to people playing the game. That doesn't really work with Andromeda, because it's the same old ME world, no matter if it's in new galaxy.

I think that the biggest flaw with the Paragon/Renegade system was the inconsistent tone and the inability to choose how far along one spectrum the player would like to go.

Well, that and you pretty much had to commit to one alignment in order to get out of hairy situations, like Tali's trial.

In Andromeda, I've noticed that the emotional/logical dialogue options dominate conversations to the point where I almost forget what the other symbols mean.

You mean, like if you went renegade, you could have choose between just bad-mouthed character to full murderous and killing character? If so, then I do agree.

You know, never had any issues with doing paragade/renegon runs and having pretty much all dialogue option available. Granted, I always maxed morality bonuses from character skills, which was huge help with this.

[TTTX]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt0p_NctdDI&list=WL&index=10

well look rumors.

[Vol]

1) A direct sequel almost seems like it would need a hefty time skip, to let events and construction play out. Decade at least, if not more.

2) The smart-choke for shotguns appears to be broken.

3) Reading the first chapter of the ME4 novel. Sloane spends a considerable amount of time thinking about her hangover on the day they're set to go into cryo. Garson is portrayed as a larger-than-life, super charismatic, beloved leader, rather than the eccentric, rich, cheerleader the game gave us.

[FrozenShadow]

You know, I think Bioware now has a perfect opportunity to do Mass Effect MMO/MMORPG. They could totally go WoW with ME now.

Andromeda is totally new galaxy. You can make your own character, group up and then explore the galaxy. Find new planets, resources, benefits for your own race or initiative as a whole.

As matter of fact, I would much prefer ME MMO now than any sort of ME:A2 or so.

[Vol]

@Frozen: I was getting that vibe too, but eh. TOR is a decent MMO, and they already have the framework for merging SP with MP in some fashion, but the necessary constraints of the genre wouldn't endear me at all.

[magnuskn]

Oh, hey, the game made me laugh for the first time after 55 hours, with the "Mysterious Button" thing.

[Vol]

Yeah, I hammered that thing into the ground. The reveal was worth it.

https://twitter.com/bioware/status/849671752192077828

Lil' self-flagellation, think it's longer than the actual entire dialogue chain, actually.

Did we get an apology for the original ME3 ending? I don't remember an apology.

[Alienmorph]

Nope, pretty sure we didn't. At best something like "we never intended the ending to be interpreted in such a bleak and hopeless way, here's why we're gonna make the Extended Cut, to clarify our vision and improve the players' experience".

If they DID admit they fucked up, probably we would have gotten something much more significant than what they did with the EC:

[DarkStorm]

1) A direct sequel almost seems like it would need a hefty time skip, to let events and construction play out. Decade at least, if not more.

2) The smart-choke for shotguns appears to be broken.

3) Reading the first chapter of the ME4 novel. Sloane spends a considerable amount of time thinking about her hangover on the day they're set to go into cryo. Garson is portrayed as a larger-than-life, super charismatic, beloved leader, rather than the eccentric, rich, cheerleader the game gave us.

Would it really need a decade? Cause they said on most planets it would only take a couple of years for them to terraform. But that would still works cause Ryder will be in his 30s. Which is the age Shepard was in.

[Vol]

Nope, pretty sure we didn't. At best something like "we never intended the ending to be interpreted in such a bleak and hopeless way, here's why we're gonna make the Extended Cut, to clarify our vision and improve the players' experience".

If they DID admit they fucked up, probably we would have gotten something much more significant than what they did with the EC:

To be fair, Control and Synthesis were "happy," but utterly unpalatable for me, so limiting myself to High EMS Destroy wasn't their fault per se. That said, it _seemed_ like it would be the most logical, likely ending to go with given the story, and Shepard being alive at the end of it sorta reinforces the point. But it was beyond bleak.

Citadel blown up, relays blown up, the remnants of the coalition military forces all stuck in our local cluster, entire Normandy crew marooned on some random tropical planet that sure looked like a levo world, etc. I cannot imagine what the intent they had for us to take from that was. Getting the EC took a once in a lifetime level of nerd-rage, which, again to be fair, vastly improved it. Went from "Everything is fucked and everyone we care about are doomed" to "Everything's going to eventually be okay, crew is okay, Tali's getting her home back." Drastic!

And yet, no apology for that anger and sadness.

Would it really need a decade? Cause they said on most planets it would only take a couple of years for them to terraform. But that would still works cause Ryder will be in his 30s. Which is the age Shepard was in.

Hell, I'd say 2 decades or more even.

To build up towns/cities, subcultures, places to go and do stuff. Wake up the rest of the sleepers, get a ton of babies made (despite the baffling selection process of the Andromeda Initiative), age them up, let politics assert itself into interesting scenarios, maybe find some new aliens in Heleus, give the kett

► Show Spoiler

time to get a new fleet into this cluster, since they don't have mass relays to speed it up

and so on.

[magnuskn]

Uh, Control and Synthesis are about as happy as the holocaust.

Anyway, just found out that Peebee's father was an elcor. That explains a lot.

[TheodoricFriede]

Did we get an apology for the original ME3 ending? I don't remember an apology.

They have acknowledged that it was very disliked.

[magnuskn]

At least they are not in complete denial about it.

[Someone With Mass]

I'd honestly rather go back to the Milky Way galaxy at one point. So far, the Andromeda galaxy isn't doing it for me.

I'd also like to see how they've adapted to the problems the Reaper war caused rather than sticking my fingers in my ears and go to another galaxy.

[TheodoricFriede]

I cant believe it.

I cant believe im the most positive person in this group right now.

[UNiT]

I cant believe it.

I cant believe im the most positive person in this group right now.

Not true. I'm also very positive of Andromeda so far and want more of it.

[TheodoricFriede]

We should form a club.

[Mazder]

I've been positive about Andromeda since everyone was still shaky on it.
That being said I'd not be against going back to the Milky Way so long as it's not with this intent of "bringing back the old" in regards to making things "fixed" where there is no need to.
A time skip, fine, maybe enough to make the tech for travel in between the Galaxies [i[if it must be a thing[/i]. I don't mind there being two separate time periods, I'd just treat it like TOR and current Star Wars.

TBH dealing with the Star Wars EU makes anything ME could do to split seem really minor.

[magnuskn]

Huh, having Peebee and Drack together through Nomad driving generates a *ton* of conversation between them. Are there any other combos which hit it off so well? Drack and Vetra have, like, 20% of the banter between Peebee an Drack.

[Su37]

I cant believe it.

I cant believe im the most positive person in this group right now.

I want more from Andromeda, but at the same time I want them to do a better job with writing and bug squashing in the future.

[magnuskn]

I'd like to get back to the Milky Way. It's *home* and the conflicts are way more interesting.

[FrozenShadow]

Citadel blown up, relays blown up, the remnants of the coalition military forces all stuck in our local cluster, entire Normandy crew marooned on some random tropical planet that sure looked like a levo world, etc. I cannot imagine what the intent they had for us to take from that was. Getting the EC took a once in a lifetime level of nerd-rage, which, again to be fair, vastly improved it. Went from "Everything is fucked and everyone we care about are doomed" to "Everything's going to eventually be okay, crew is okay, Tali's getting her home back." Drastic!

And yet, no apology for that anger and sadness.

They must have thought that we would be so excited by the ending and especially finding out about the origins of Reapers, that we wouldn't care.

You know, the same way like Wachowski's thought that it was great idea to end Matrix trilogy as they did. That people should have been awed by what they saw.

As for apology, I believe that this EC and making it totally free was their apology. Especially considering Bioware is basically owed by EA these days.

I'd honestly rather go back to the Milky Way galaxy at one point. So far, the Andromeda galaxy isn't doing it for me.

I'd also like to see how they've adapted to the problems the Reaper war caused rather than sticking my fingers in my ears and go to another galaxy.

Yeah, I don't think Bioware is ever going to address the consequences of Reaper war in Milky Way.

As matter of fact, because Andromeda seems to be popular and successful enough, they might totally say 'fuckit' off the original ME galaxy. It's obvious people don't care about it anymore (because new game sells well), so why uselessly go back? Especially as it would need so much thinking over and careful planning to make new Milky Way ME game.

Not to mention of the fact, they if they ever even try it, it doesn't matter what do, people won't be happy with it. Too many important decision were made during ME trilogy and millions of players have their own unique playthrough too. So, how could they decide anything being "new canon" without upsetting lots of people?

Now, this whole thing would be much different, if Andromeda would've been total failure, an abysmal and unlikable crap. Then we could have got a new game taking place on Milky Way.

But now? Nope, it's not going to happen. Simply said, Bioware and their EA overlords won't risk it, when this new galaxy idea seems to work fine and make people buy their new games.

So, better give up any hopes and dreams of ever going back to original galaxy. At most they will add some half-cooked dialogue or log entry in future games, where they will say that they have made a way to send resources back to Milky Way and that they are needed. But that's it.

[Alienmorph]

Yeah, we're not going back to the Milky Way. We'll be lucky if the missing races actually do join up via DlC before the next game, and that's gonna be as close as we get to ear more from the old place.

[magnuskn]

Eh, with the controversy about ME:A, I wouldn't count on it. But, of course, you could be right. Corporate cowardice and Hack Walters still being at the studio could doom us to permanent Andromeda BS.

[magnuskn]

Alright, first time I've really gotten into the game. Unsurprisingly, it was Dracks loyalty mission, which has to do with Krogans, which are the only alien race in this game which haven't been just made humans in their behaviour.

[DarkStorm]

Dracks is always fun, I like the little thing you do after the loyalty mission.

[Vol]

Servers go down at 11 AM EST tomorrow for the patch.

[FrozenShadow]

Eh, with the controversy about ME:A, I wouldn't count on it. But, of course, you could be right. Corporate cowardice and Hack Walters still being at the studio could doom us to permanent Andromeda BS.

If you mean this animation mess by the controversy, then it doesn't really matter in this point. Animation issues doesn't really affect the happenings in the game or story really. It might affect to the way how people experience the game, yet this animation issue much easier to fix than the plot holes and not so wise decision by the makers of the game.

I mean, they could've animated star child as a mostly naked and curvy virtual woman in ME3. If she would've had the exact same lines, people would've complained same things as they did with star child.

So yeah, this animation matter won't be enough to push them to go back to Milky Way.

[Azint]

I cant believe it.

I cant believe im the most positive person in this group right now.

I thought the game was fine, just not great. I don't usually rate things, but I thought Andromeda so far is a 7/10.

I am still in the middle of it, though.

[UNiT]

Huh, having Peebee and Drack together through Nomad driving generates a *ton* of conversation between them. Are there any other combos which hit it off so well? Drack and Vetra have, like, 20% of the banter between Peebee an Drack.

Maybe you have the banter bug and Drack just stopped talking with Vetra. They have a lot of dialogue some of it I didn't even hear till I listened on youtube.

[TheodoricFriede]

Maybe you have the banter bug and Drack just stopped talking with Vetra. They have a lot of dialogue some of it I didn't even hear till I listened on youtube.

Yeah, Drack and Vetra talk A LOT. Banter bug is definitely an issue, but I also think what planet you are on may matter. I feel like no one ever says anything on Eos other than the occasional "Sure is sandy out here."

[Someone With Mass]

To clarify, I don't feel as attached to the Andromeda galaxy as I do the Milky Way. There's simply next to nothing that stands out, save for that evil fart cloud. Other than, that, it feels like a lot of "been there, done that" for me.

The most amount of dialogues I've been able to coax out of Drack and Vetra has been taking place on Voeld so far.

[magnuskn]

Zero Punctuation review is out, but the video doesn't link in the same way as YouTube videos do. Hence, just a link:

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/ ... mpaign=all

"The last game was popularly considered to have a worse conclusion than the 1930's". ^^

[TheodoricFriede]

Oh what a surprise, Zero Punctuation was negative about a game.

I was willing to give him a listen until he started bashing the combat. You know, the thing pretty much everyone loved.

Oh well, got to hop on that bandwagon before all the good seats are gone, right?

[magnuskn]

It's what he does and he does it well. Makes the occasional game which he doesn't rip a new one all the more surprising.

Going after the combat is pretty bizarre, though. The rest of the criticisms are pretty well founded, IMO.

[Alienmorph]

Yeeeah... I have my beef with ME:A, but anyone talking of ME:A like it's the worst game ever, either is a moron that just want a place on the bandwagon, or really doesn't know what the hell he/she's talking about. But that's the internet... you have either to treat something like the best thing ever, or the worst thing ever. The is no such thing as middle ground.

[Someone With Mass]

Yeeeah... I have my beef with ME:A, but anyone talking of ME:A like it's the worst game ever, either is a moron that just want a place on the bandwagon, or really doesn't know what the hell he/she's talking about. But that's the internet... you have either to treat something like the best thing ever, or the worst thing ever. The is no such thing as middle ground.

This IS the year after No Man's Sky, right?

[Someone With Mass]

Hey, I can download that big patch now. It's about 1.1 GB on Origin.

Edit: Now the loading screen is mentioning all the shaders it's loading. Neat, I guess.

[magnuskn]

Okay, I'm hunting down the Archon on his ship. Everybody in my crew seems to have been handed the stupid ball.